Screw cap (wine)
Encyclopedia
A screw cap is a metal
cap that screws onto threads on the neck of a bottle
, generally with a metal skirt down the neck to resemble the traditional wine capsule ("foil"). A layer of plastic
(often PVDC), cork, rubber
, or other soft material is used as wad to make a seal with the mouth of the bottle. Its use as an alternative wine closure is gaining increasing support as an alternative to cork
for sealing wine
bottles.
Traditionally associated in the US with extremely inexpensive jug wine
s or even "skid row" wine
s, the screwcap is making a comeback due to concern about premature (or sporadic) oxidation and cork taint
. Screwcaps have a much lower failure rate than cork, and in theory will allow a wine to reach the customer in perfect condition, with a minimum of bottle variation
. Cork, of course, has a centuries-old tradition behind it, and there are also concerns about the impact of screwcaps on the aging of those few wines that require decades to be at their best. Some argue that the slow ingress of oxygen
plays a vital role in aging a wine, while others argue that this amount is almost zero in a sound cork and that any admitted oxygen is harmful. Various studies are underway, although one data point is that producers in Champagne have aged their wines under crown cap for quite some time with no apparent outcry. No manner of removing the cap with the grace of traditional cork pulling has yet emerged.
The most known brand of wine screw caps is Stelvin, a brand developed by Rio Tinto Alcan, and recently sold to Amcor
. The brand is so common that it is genericized in common use, with many in the wine trade referring to screw caps as "Stelvin closures", regardless of brand.
The distinguishing features of wine screw caps, in particular Stelvin brand ones, are:
, then Rio Tinto Alcan and now Amcor
.
It was developed at the 1964 behest of Peter Wall, Production Director of the Australian Yalumba
winery, working with other companies. It was preceded as a closure by a Stelcap/cork combination (closed with cork, with a Stelcap on top): the Stelcap was also a long-skirted screw cap, but with a different inner lining (paper over cork, instead of PVDC or PVDC covered by foil-covered paper in a Stelvin).
It was originally trialled in 1970/71 with the Swiss wine Chasselas
, which was particularly affected by cork taint, and first used commercially in 1972 for the Swiss winery Hammel. It was adopted commercially in Australia in late 1976/early 1977. For noble wines, wines from the 1971/72 vintage (such as Haut-Brion
) were sealed with Stelvin, then tasted in 1978, and found similar to cork-closed wines.
In 2005, a modified Stelvin cap, Stelvin Lux, was introduced. Like the standard Stelvin cap, the outer shell is aluminium, but there is no externally-visible screw thread or knurling, giving the closure a cleaner look more like a traditional foil capsule. Internally, there is a pre-formed thread, and the sealing materials are the same as the standard Stelvin cap.
In the UK, acceptance by consumers more than doubled, from 41% in 2003 to 85% in 2011.
Screw caps were widely adopted in the 1980s by Swiss winemakers, and have shown increasingly wide adoption in the succeeding years.
Screw cap adoption in fine wines in Australia has proceeded in fits and starts. In July 2000, a group of Clare Valley
Riesling
producers, led by Jeffrey Grosset bottled a portion of their wines in screw cap, and earlier that year PlumpJack Winery
announced it would bottle half its production of US$130 1997 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
in screwcap. Other announcements have followed, including one from Bonny Doon Vineyard
in July 2002 that 80,000 cases of its "Big House" red and white wine would be bottled under screwcaps - followed by almost all the rest of their production by late 2004 (200,000 cases total). Domaine Laroche in Chablis, France has been bottling their Chablis, Premier crus and Grand Crus on Screwcap since 2001 vintage. In July 2004 Corbett Canyon became the first million plus case brand to switch to screw caps for their entire production, shipping just over three million cases a year.
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
cap that screws onto threads on the neck of a bottle
Bottle
A bottle is a rigid container with a neck that is narrower than the body and a "mouth". By contrast, a jar has a relatively large mouth or opening. Bottles are often made of glass, clay, plastic, aluminum or other impervious materials, and typically used to store liquids such as water, milk, soft...
, generally with a metal skirt down the neck to resemble the traditional wine capsule ("foil"). A layer of plastic
Plastic
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...
(often PVDC), cork, rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
, or other soft material is used as wad to make a seal with the mouth of the bottle. Its use as an alternative wine closure is gaining increasing support as an alternative to cork
Cork (material)
Cork is an impermeable, buoyant material, a prime-subset of bark tissue that is harvested for commercial use primarily from Quercus suber , which is endemic to southwest Europe and northwest Africa...
for sealing wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
bottles.
Benefits and concerns
In brief, compared to cork:- screw caps prevent the wine faultWine faultA wine fault or defect is an unpleasant characteristic of a wine often resulting from poor winemaking practices or storage conditions, and leading to wine spoilage. Many of the compounds that cause wine faults are already naturally present in wine but at insufficient concentrations to adversely...
s of oxidation and of cork taintCork taintCork taint is a broad term referring to a wine fault characterized by a set of undesirable smells or tastes found in a bottle of wine, especially spoilage that can only be detected after bottling, aging and opening...
, and are easier to open, although there are concerns about long-term aging (aging for decades). - cork is traditional, viewed by customers as higher-end, and has well-known characteristics established through centuries of experience.
Traditionally associated in the US with extremely inexpensive jug wine
Jug wine
Jug wine is a term in the United States for inexpensive table wine typically bottled in a glass jug.Historically, jug wines were labeled semi-generically, often sold to third parties to be relabeled, or sold directly from the winery's tasting room to customers who would often bring their own bottles...
s or even "skid row" wine
Low-end fortified wine
Low-end fortified wine is an inexpensive fortified wine that typically has an alcohol content between 13% and 20% ABV. These inexpensive wines usually contain added sugar, artificial color, and artificial flavor.- Brands :...
s, the screwcap is making a comeback due to concern about premature (or sporadic) oxidation and cork taint
Cork taint
Cork taint is a broad term referring to a wine fault characterized by a set of undesirable smells or tastes found in a bottle of wine, especially spoilage that can only be detected after bottling, aging and opening...
. Screwcaps have a much lower failure rate than cork, and in theory will allow a wine to reach the customer in perfect condition, with a minimum of bottle variation
Bottle variation
Bottle variation is the degree to which different bottles, nominally of the same product, can have different taste, smell, etc.There are many possible causes of bottle variation:* variation in the contents prior to packaging...
. Cork, of course, has a centuries-old tradition behind it, and there are also concerns about the impact of screwcaps on the aging of those few wines that require decades to be at their best. Some argue that the slow ingress of oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
plays a vital role in aging a wine, while others argue that this amount is almost zero in a sound cork and that any admitted oxygen is harmful. Various studies are underway, although one data point is that producers in Champagne have aged their wines under crown cap for quite some time with no apparent outcry. No manner of removing the cap with the grace of traditional cork pulling has yet emerged.
Stelvin screw caps
Amcor
Amcor Limited is an Australian-based multinational packaging company. Its headquarters are in Hawthorn, Victoria ; and it is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange....
. The brand is so common that it is genericized in common use, with many in the wine trade referring to screw caps as "Stelvin closures", regardless of brand.
The distinguishing features of wine screw caps, in particular Stelvin brand ones, are:
- a long outside skirt, for aesthetics: to resemble the traditional wine capsule ("foil")
- the use of the plastic PVDC (Polyvinylidene chloride) as a neutral liner on the inside wadding
History
The Stelvin was developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and commercialized in the 1970s. It was developed by French company La Bouchage Mecanique, thence acquired by Pea-Pechiney, which became part of AlcanAlcan
Rio Tinto Alcan Inc. is a Canadian company based in Montreal. It was created on November 15, 2007 as the result of the merger between Rio Tinto PLC's Canadian subsidiary, Rio Tinto Canada Holding Inc., and Canadian company Alcan Inc. On the same date, Alcan Inc. was renamed Rio Tinto Alcan Inc..Rio...
, then Rio Tinto Alcan and now Amcor
Amcor
Amcor Limited is an Australian-based multinational packaging company. Its headquarters are in Hawthorn, Victoria ; and it is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange....
.
It was developed at the 1964 behest of Peter Wall, Production Director of the Australian Yalumba
Yalumba
Yalumba is a winery located near Angaston, South Australia in the Barossa Valley. It was founded by a British brewer, Samuel Smith, who emigrated to Australia with his family from Wareham, Dorset in August 1847 aboard the ship 'China'. Upon arriving in Australia in December, Smith built a small...
winery, working with other companies. It was preceded as a closure by a Stelcap/cork combination (closed with cork, with a Stelcap on top): the Stelcap was also a long-skirted screw cap, but with a different inner lining (paper over cork, instead of PVDC or PVDC covered by foil-covered paper in a Stelvin).
It was originally trialled in 1970/71 with the Swiss wine Chasselas
Chasselas
Chasselas or Chasselas Blanc is a wine grape variety grown in Switzerland, France, Germany, Portugal, Baja Norte, Mexico, Hungary and New Zealand.Theories of its origin vary. Pierre Galet believes it is a native Swiss variety....
, which was particularly affected by cork taint, and first used commercially in 1972 for the Swiss winery Hammel. It was adopted commercially in Australia in late 1976/early 1977. For noble wines, wines from the 1971/72 vintage (such as Haut-Brion
Haut-Brion
Haut-Brion is a name found in several Bordeaux wine producers in the Graves district, including:* Château Haut-Brion, a premier cru selection of the 1855 classification then named simply Haut-Brion...
) were sealed with Stelvin, then tasted in 1978, and found similar to cork-closed wines.
In 2005, a modified Stelvin cap, Stelvin Lux, was introduced. Like the standard Stelvin cap, the outer shell is aluminium, but there is no externally-visible screw thread or knurling, giving the closure a cleaner look more like a traditional foil capsule. Internally, there is a pre-formed thread, and the sealing materials are the same as the standard Stelvin cap.
Adoption
Screw caps met with customer resistance in Australia and New Zealand, and were phased out in the early 1980s, only to be reintroduced gradually in the 1990s. Since reintroduction, ever-increasing numbers of winemakers are using the screw cap within Australia and New Zealand. In New Zealand, adoption went from 1% in 2001 to 70% in 2004. In Australia, more and more quality wines are now sealed with screw caps.In the UK, acceptance by consumers more than doubled, from 41% in 2003 to 85% in 2011.
Screw caps were widely adopted in the 1980s by Swiss winemakers, and have shown increasingly wide adoption in the succeeding years.
Screw cap adoption in fine wines in Australia has proceeded in fits and starts. In July 2000, a group of Clare Valley
Clare Valley
The Clare Valley is one of Australia's oldest wine regions, best known for Riesling wines. It lies in the Mid North of South Australia, approximately 120 km north of Adelaide. The valley runs north-south, with Main North Road as the main thoroughfare....
Riesling
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
producers, led by Jeffrey Grosset bottled a portion of their wines in screw cap, and earlier that year PlumpJack Winery
PlumpJack Winery
PlumpJack Winery is a boutique winery in Oakville, California specializing in premium Cabernet Sauvignon wines. PlumpJack was the first winery in Napa Valley to use screwcaps as a wine closure on super premium wines. The winery is one of several businesses operated by the PlumpJack Group...
announced it would bottle half its production of US$130 1997 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
in screwcap. Other announcements have followed, including one from Bonny Doon Vineyard
Bonny Doon Vineyard
Bonny Doon Vineyard is a winery based in the Santa Cruz mountains of California. It was started by Randall Grahm in 1983. Bonny Doon was amongst the first Californian wineries to embrace Rhone varietals, giving Randall Grahm the nickname "The Rhone Ranger". The winery is known for its untraditional...
in July 2002 that 80,000 cases of its "Big House" red and white wine would be bottled under screwcaps - followed by almost all the rest of their production by late 2004 (200,000 cases total). Domaine Laroche in Chablis, France has been bottling their Chablis, Premier crus and Grand Crus on Screwcap since 2001 vintage. In July 2004 Corbett Canyon became the first million plus case brand to switch to screw caps for their entire production, shipping just over three million cases a year.
See also
- Cork material
- Closure (wine bottle)Closure (wine bottle)Closure is a term used in the wine industry to refer to a stopper, the object used to seal a bottle and avoid harmful contact between the wine and oxygen.They include:* Traditional natural cork closures ;...
- Alternative wine closuresAlternative wine closuresAlternative wine closures are substitute closures used in the wine industry for sealing wine bottles in place of traditional cork closures. The emergence of these alternatives has grown in response to quality control efforts by winemakers to protect against "cork taint" caused by the presence of...
- Cork taintCork taintCork taint is a broad term referring to a wine fault characterized by a set of undesirable smells or tastes found in a bottle of wine, especially spoilage that can only be detected after bottling, aging and opening...
- Stopper (plug)Stopper (plug)A bung is truncated cylindrical or conical closure to seal a container, such as a bottle, tube or barrel. Unlike a lid which encloses a container from the outside without displacing the inner volume, a bung is partially inserted inside the container to act as a seal...
- Screw cap